“My Boss is Probably the Devil!” Exploring Employees’ Online Vents
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The last two authors contributed equally to the manuscript and are therefore listed alphabetically.
The last two authors contributed equally to the manuscript and are therefore listed alphabetically.
Individual Sources, Dynamics, and Expressions of Emotion
ISBN: 978-1-78190-888-4, eISBN: 978-1-78190-889-1
Publication date: 29 July 2013
Abstract
The current chapter presents a qualitative analysis of the emotional and substantive content of 300 vents found on public job-related venting web sites. We leverage the related yet distinct literatures on venting, complaining, expressive writing, and computer-mediated communication to gain insight into how employees understand, communicate, and try to manage emotional experiences at work through these types of outlets. We found that employees vent about mistreatment by others, others’ incompetence or laziness, inequity, under-stimulation, and broader economic trends. In doing so, they often express anger in extreme forms involving profanity, personal attacks, and desires for retribution.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgment
The authors would like to thank Chelsi Creech, Anna Dore, Tara Ernst, Lucille Headrick, Ratna Garigipati, Clair Reynolds, and Morgan Robertson for their assistance with coding the vents.
Citation
Shoss, M.K., Maurer, A.H. and Rupprecht, E.A. (2013), "“My Boss is Probably the Devil!” Exploring Employees’ Online Vents The last two authors contributed equally to the manuscript and are therefore listed alphabetically.
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2013 Emerald Group Publishing Limited